Asian Studies

Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) is the name often associated with a wide range of traditional medical practices normally in use in China. Marjorie Pivar and Quang Van Nguyens Fourth Uncle in the Mountain text discusses various aspects of Chinese medicine.  After reading this informative text, I have gained insight into the reality and significance of Chinese traditional medicine. The medications, which are the most important forms of oriental medicine, have developed over several thousands of years. Chinese medicine may also be incorporated into other traditionally-related Asian medical systems such as those used in Mongolian, Japanese, Korean, and Tibetan medicines as seen in the Fourth Uncle book. In principle, these Chinese medicines employ methods of synthesis and analysis as is evident through Thaus actions in the Fourth Uncle text. Medicine men inquire - on a macro level - into the mutual relationships of the external and internal environment as well as the internal systems of the human body. This aspect aims at gaining an understanding of the important laws that govern the proper functioning of the human organism. Moreover, it focuses on applying such knowledge in the prevention and treatment of illnesses and health maintenance.
TCM is deeply rooted in a comprehensive, unique, and systematic structure which may include the theory of the five elements the Yin-yang, and the Meridian system of human body amongst other systems. Thaus desire to lead a wholesome life is reflective of this concept. Original Chinese treatment was conducted with reference to this philosophical framework which marks a difference between Chinese or oriental medicines and Western medicines because there could be same patients, symptoms or signs but with very different organizational forms of the information. Through the Fourth Uncle book, Thahu performs related healing services to his contemporaries, especially to Quang Van Nguyen. For instance, we can look at similar bodies via two different perspectives in diabetes. The theoretical framework employed by Thau When the sugar or glucose level is unable to penetrate through the wall of cells, diabetes is the result. This is because when the glucose fails to get into the cells, glucose levels in the blood vessels increase. This situation results in the problems associated with diabetes.

The Western medicine (WM) examines diabetes as just a one-way traffic contrary to how Chinese medicine (CM) sees it. CM looks at various possible situations which depend on the particular symptoms and signs of a particular patient. One of these illness patterns is referred to as wasting thirsty. Extreme thirst is one of the well-known signs of diabetes CM agrees on it. The techniques and the treatment however greatly vary. This is looked at as the condition of cells becoming dry and lacking enough water which CM describes as the inside of the body. Another surprising sign of diabetes is that taking more water only results in urinating more. This is because it does not depend on how much water one is taking but the rate of absorption of water component in the body. Glucose is the body component that enhances water absorption by the cells. Glucose gets absorbed into the body cells and out of the blood vessels concurrently when the bodys functions which enhance the absorption or transformation of body fluids are stimulated. CM claims that the cells are unable to absorb body fluids, a situation which results in inability of cells to absorb glucose concurrently. On the contrary, WM claims that the cells cannot absorb glucose, thus resulting in dry cells. This is a good example of where Chinese and WM are concurring in his matter. In contrast, there are some levels of diabetes that do not agree with this symmetry. This is seen as one of the major strengths of CM that enables unique treatment of how a particular patient could experience this illness.  

In diagnosis, it is wonderful to note that Chinese doctors could cure a countless number of patients using physical examination without any assistance from apparatus. They could use four diagnosis methods which included pulse taking and palpation, observation, interrogation and olfaction, as well as auscultation. Olfaction and auscultation is a method that doctors use in collecting messages through smelling odor and hearing sounds a very clear reference for diagnosis. Doctors could directly watch the outward appearance of a patient to know his or her condition through observation (Richard, 2000). The key idea used is that when the internal organs run wrongly or correctly, this is reflected through the tongue, color of the skin, some excrements, and facial organs in the sensory nervous system. This is because the interior and exterior of the body normally correspond. Doctors have a belief that when there is normal functioning of the organs, the frequency, pulse, and pulse intention will be notably stable. Conversely, it varies when not stable. The palpation and pulse refers to instances when doctors note the pulse conditions of the patient on the radial arteries. Eventually, the doctors can know the internal changes of the symptoms. In interrogation, the doctors question the patients and their relatives in order to know the symptoms experienced, about previous treatments, and the disease evolution.
 
The combination of these diagnosis methods makes a collection of facts which assist the doctors in analyzing the virtue of a particular illness and its source from the internal body relations. Moreover, it assists physicians to give a detailed prescription. Traditional Chinese medical science has a distinction from drugs from the WM in that doctors have discovered effects of medicine of several herbs over a long span of time. The patients are supposed to boil the medicine before taking it and the treatments magically take effect.

 Studying the Fourth Uncle in the Mountain text has really proven beneficial as it has exposed me to various aspects of Chinese medicine. For example, I have marveled at Thahus medical prowess that assists the aged monk to successfully take care of Quang Van Nguyen.  The various practices that the monk does reflect the philosophy and tradition that is characteristic of Chinese medicine. I have, for example, learned that Chinese medicine has various terminologies. Despite all these differences in terminologies in medicine handling in either CM or WM, the major focus is to get a patient well following proper diagnosis and proper prescription by doctors. In the contemporary world, traditional medicinal treatments have been adopted and are still playing important roles and also raising great interest and attention as they have done amazingly in the curative effects already reported.